


How much for the flowers?

by Scoby



Series: Reylo feast [3]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Appropriate Use of the Force, Canon Universe, During Canon, F/M, Flowers, Force Bond (Star Wars), Kylo Ren is Nice, Minor Kuruk (Star Wars), Minor Leia Organa, Minor Ushar (Star Wars), One of My Favorites, Romantic Gestures, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000, almost inappropriate use of the Force, flowers with a ribbon, wise old lady
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:14:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24612898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scoby/pseuds/Scoby
Summary: “Do you want a ribbon, Sir?”“A ribbon?” The modulator cannot cover the puzzlement in his voice.“I mean, is it for somebody special?”
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Reylo feast [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1779877
Comments: 8
Kudos: 54





	How much for the flowers?

**Author's Note:**

> My dear husband brought me flowers today and that made me think that it would be so nice if Kylo Ren would do it some time <3

The marketplace of the Cladyang village on Sorgan turns into a buzzing beehive when everybody sees the approach of Kylo Ren’s shuttle on the sky along with two troop carriers and two cargo ships. Apocalyptic screams and running feet are everywhere, when people hurry indoors to hide.

Street vendors start frantically closing their stalls and pulling them on wagons into sheds, cellars, anywhere where they have hopes of keeping their goods out of sight. Parents interrupt the games of their children and lock into their houses, cuddling together as a family for what feels like the last time.

The ships land right on the edge of the marketplace. Stormtroopers flood out of the troop carriers and form ranks that fill the square, apart from an empty lane in the middle for Kylo Ren to enter. If the villagers would have dared to stay to watch, they would first see just the red glow of his lightsaber through the steam let out by the opening mechanism of the boarding ramp. Then, through the scattering steam, they would see his whole black, hooded and masked figure stepping forward and walking down the boarding ramp and through the market square, followed by his Knights.

He nods his head and the Knights of Ren scatter around the village, each accompanied by a small squadron of stormtroopers. They enter every home, shed, shop and warehouse, and return with wagons full of food to feed the fleet, spare parts for ships, children to be raised as stormtroopers from now on, and other supplies the First Order may need. Between the wagons walk handcuffed people whose neighbors have – with blasters pointed at their heads – disclosed that they may have information about or dealings with the Resistance.

Since this is a routine raid, Kylo does not have to do anything, unless the villagers rise up into a riot that his subordinates cannot suppress. Sounds like it is not going to happen here. He only hears occasional sounds of blaster fire. Apparently, these people are quick to learn their lesson once they see what happens to others who resist the orders.

Waiting for the cargo ships to be loaded with the pillaged goods, Kylo’s gaze wanders to the only villager left on the deserted marketplace. By the street corner, an old woman is still sitting behind her flower stall. She looks back at him without fear, rather with old, peaceful eyes, knowing that she has a beautiful life behind her and nothing to lose even if it would be her time to leave this world today.

She seems to really have had time to learn how to tie flowers. The lady has made elegant color compositions of the giant forest flowers that Sorgan is so famous for. The corners of Kylo’s mouth curve into a faint smile behind the mask and he extends his hand towards one of the bouquets with orange and white flowers tied in the midst of luscious green leaves and grasses. He gives a subtle pull through the Force and the tips of the grasses start to bend towards him.

Thinking again, he puts his hand down, extinguishes his lightsaber and walks up to the woman's stall.

“How much for the flowers?” he asks.

“Five credits. But for you, Sir, only four”, she responds with the same tone, smile and twinkle in her eye that she has offered every customer today and every day of her decades-long career.

“I’ll pay you six.”

He looks back over the square where groups of few stormtroopers here and there are working on loading the cargo ships, fixing broken flour sacks with tape and discarding emptied wagons, supervised by his Knights Ushar and Kuruk.

“I need six credits!”

Kylo’s shout makes everyone stop what they are doing and stare at him blankly, helmets generously covering their dropped jaws. As nobody shows any sign of action, he adds:

“You heard me! Somebody give me six credits, RIGHT NOW! Or who wants to be the first one to choke?”

Immediately, everyone starts searching their pockets. For most of them, it is just a gesture of showing obedience to avoid choking, as they have no money, but soon three figures start moving towards Kylo. Ushar brings him two credits, Kuruk one and ZN-9915 three.

He wonders how the stormtrooper got three credits, but skips any inspection, as he has a more important issue on his mind. He passes the money to the lady and smiles, even though she cannot see it.

“Was this the one you wanted, Sir?” She points at the orange and white composition.

Kylo nods, happy that the mask covers the mild embarrassment he now feels about almost taking it by force.

“Do you want a ribbon?” she asks.

“A ribbon?” The modulator cannot cover the puzzlement in his voice.

“I mean, is it for somebody special?”

“Well… I guess… Why would I otherwise buy it?”

The old lady gives him a knowing smile and ties a thick blue ribbon at the narrow section under the lowest leaves. Then she hands it to him with both hands.

“Have a wonderful day, Sir!”

“Thank you. You, too, Madam.”  
  


* * *

  
Once he makes it into his quarters and out of his mask, he gets BB-9E to bring him a vase with water and places the flowers in it. They look like less bright and upright now. He guesses the atmospheric composition on Sorgan is more optimal for this kind of life forms than the gas mixture on the star destroyer. That would explain the vast amounts of forest and high agricultural yields there.

He places a hand on the flowers, closes his eyes and takes several deep breaths. Just a bit of transmission of life force energy works wonders. The flowers lift up their heads and brighten their colors again. He has just finished when he feels a familiar presence behind him and turns around.

“I’d rather not do this now”, Rey says, avoiding his gaze.

“Is something wrong?”

“Just… has been a bad day”, she sighs.

“I have something for you that might make it better.”

He picks up the flowers and hands them to her.

“Oh, Ben… Thank you, they are lovely!”

She buries her nose in the middle of the orange, white and green fluffiness and snuffles deep. When she lifts her gaze up to him, her smile is so full of happiness and enjoyment that his heart could burst.  
  


* * *

  
When he disappears and Rey is left alone in her room, she hears a knock on her door. She opens it and finds Leia behind it.

“Rey, about your lesson tomorrow, we have to change…”

Her organized voice dies down as she sniffs the air. Her eyes drift into the distance and her lips into a smile. She lets out a faint sigh.

“What is it, General?”

“This scent… It reminds me… Once Han was away for a smuggling job in Sorgan for several days and when he came back, he brought me…”

She looks over Rey’s shoulder into her room.

“… _those_ flowers.”


End file.
